Reviews
"Michael Cuneo has spent endless hours with these folks and others and hasproduced a thoroughly readable and responsible portrait of a group ofmarginalized American Catholics at the end of this century. The Smoke of Satanis a marvelous read, deft and scholarly, clear and provocative, sympathetic andjudgemental. The book is a pleasure to read..." --Mary Jo Weaver, Journal ofthe American Academy of Religion, "Carpenter's work is thoroughly documented, well written, and builtsolidly on the work of other historians of U.S. popular religion such as ErnestSandeen and George Marsden."--Library Journal, "Cuneo writes like a top-notch reporter, but his work is based onhigh-quality sociological research which cuts through the mundane and goes tothe essential. A magnificently structured study of right-wing Catholicgroups.... Cuneo tells it like it is, because he has done the painstakingfootwork needed to understand what this strange phenomenon is allabout."--Jean-Guy Vaillancourt, Professor of Sociology, University ofMontreal, "A thoughtful, detailed exploration of three small but growingfundamentalist groups within post-Vatican II AmericanCatholicism."--Kirkus, "This study will be useful especially for academic religion, history, andsociology collections."--Library Journal, "From CUFF to the Mystical Marianists and Apocalypticists, Cuneo has charted out the intricate relationships that currently exist among the groups on the American Catholic right.... Cuneo's interlacing of background information, descriptions of beliefs, and his personal interactions with hissubjects make for a fascinating account."--Sandra L. Zimdars-Swartz, Professor and Chairperson of Religious Studies, The University of Kansas, "Cuneo has given us a witty, even hilarious, and sometimes frightening study of the inner workings, the theological convictions and the major gripes of three different "factions" on the Catholic right: conservativs, separatists/traditionalists, and apocalypticists and mystical Marianists....The Smoke of Satan is a cautionary tale containing an important lesson."--America, "Cuneo has given us a witty, even hilarious, and sometimes frighteningstudy of the inner workings, the theological convictions and the major gripes ofthree different "factions" on the Catholic right: conservativs,separatists/traditionalists, and apocalypticists and mystical Marianists.... TheSmoke of Satan is a cautionary tale containing an importantlesson."--America, "From CUFF to the Mystical Marianists and Apocalypticists, Cuneo hascharted out the intricate relationships that currently exist among the groups onthe American Catholic right.... Cuneo's interlacing of background information,descriptions of beliefs, and his personal interactions with his subjects makefor a fascinating account."--Sandra L. Zimdars-Swartz, Professor and Chairpersonof Religious Studies, The University of Kansas, "Michael W. Cuneo...uses the Second Vatican Council and the seismic shift it unleashed as a framework for vivid profiles of the church's unnoticed players--Catholic fundamentalists. His well-researched, eye-opening book shows them to be a fascinating and, at times, bizarre and disturbingsubgroup, whom even faithful Catholics would have a hard time embracing. With crisp and concise writing, Cuneo uses colorful anecdotes to shine a light on a mostly unknown part of the church."--Diego Ribadeneira, The Boston Globe, "A thoughtful, detailed exploration of three small but growing fundamentalist groups within post-Vatican II American Catholicism."--Kirkus, "Carpenter's work is thoroughly documented, well written, and built solidly on the work of other historians of U.S. popular religion such as Ernest Sandeen and George Marsden."--Library Journal, "The Smoke of Satan dispels the haze around a world that is unfamiliar to many. Cuneo's book is well worth the time."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "The Smoke of Satan dispels the haze around a world that is unfamiliar to many. Cuneo's book is well worth the time." -- Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Michael Cuneo has spent endless hours with these folks and others and has produced a thoroughly readable and responsible portrait of a group of marginalized American Catholics at the end of this century. The Smoke of Satan is a marvelous read, deft and scholarly, clear and provocative,sympathetic and judgemental. The book is a pleasure to read..." --Mary Jo Weaver, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, "The Smoke of Satan dispels the haze around a world that is unfamiliar tomany. Cuneo's book is well worth the time."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "This study will be useful especially for academic religion, history, and sociology collections."--Library Journal, "Michael W. Cuneo...uses the Second Vatican Council and the seismic shiftit unleashed as a framework for vivid profiles of the church's unnoticedplayers--Catholic fundamentalists. His well-researched, eye-opening book showsthem to be a fascinating and, at times, bizarre and disturbing subgroup, whomeven faithful Catholics would have a hard time embracing. With crisp and concisewriting, Cuneo uses colorful anecdotes to shine a light on a mostly unknown partof the church."--Diego Ribadeneira, The Boston Globe, "Cuneo writes like a top-notch reporter, but his work is based on high-quality sociological research which cuts through the mundane and goes to the essential. A magnificently structured study of right-wing Catholic groups.... Cuneo tells it like it is, because he has done the painstakingfootwork needed to understand what this strange phenomenon is all about."--Jean-Guy Vaillancourt, Professor of Sociology, University of Montreal